Poland snaps up Korean armaments after Ukraine invasion

Defense

Published: 27 Jul. 2022, 17:50 Updated: 04 Aug. 2022, 18:13

Poland snaps up Korean armaments after Ukraine invasion

K-2 battle tanks on field exercises in January last year [MINISTRY OF DEFENSE]

Poland will buy a large package of Korean weapons, including K-2 tanks, K-9 self-propelled howitzers and FA-50 light fighter jets, and manufacture some weapons in Poland under license, according to the Polish defense ministry Wednesday.

In a release posted on its website, Poland’s Ministry of National Defense said that Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak will approve contracts for weapons systems from Korea. It did not give cost estimates for the contracts.

Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak cited the Russian invasion of Ukraine as the main driver of the purchase in an interview with Polish defense media outlet Defence24.

“The unpredictable nature of Putin means that we need to accelerate equipment modernization even further,” Blaszczak said. “It is of key importance to increase the levels of security as fast as possible for Poland. We can do this only by creating a powerful military that is strong enough to deter any potential aggressor from deciding to attack.”

The decision to purchase Korean weapons was guided by the need for “lethality, delivery speed and industrial benefits” for Poland, according to Blaszczak.

“The agreement with the Koreans that we have managed to negotiate fuses all of the above elements,” the Polish defense minister said, noting that “other equipment manufacturers have not been able to deliver armament of that quality at such short notice, and with such broad collaboration with the Polish defense industry.”

According to the Polish defense ministry, Warsaw plans to import 180 K-2 tanks from Korea and produce 800 in Poland from 2026 onwards under the terms of a localization project dubbed K2PL.

The K-2 battle tank, also known as the Black Panther, is a next-generation battle tank developed by Seoul’s Agency for Defense Development and manufactured by Hyundai Rotem.

The K-2 tank combines an auto-loaded 120-millimeter (4.7-inch) caliber main gun, advanced composite armor and multiple protection systems to intercept anti-tank missiles.

Under the deal, 48 K-9 self-propelled howitzers will also be exported to Poland from Korea, with another 600 to be exported beginning in 2024. The K-9 howitzer will also be manufactured locally in Poland from 2026 onwards in the K9PL project.

The K-9, a 155-millimeter caliber self-propelled howitzer manufactured by Hanwha Defense, has been a major success for Korea’s defense industry since its development was completed in 1999.

Over 600 units have been exported to countries like Norway, Poland, Estonia, Finland, India and Turkey. Australia and Egypt have also inked deals within the past year to introduce the K-9 into their armed forces.

Poland will also purchase 48 FA-50 light fighter jets, the first 12 of which will be delivered in 2023, according to the Polish defense ministry.

Blaszczak said that high interoperability between the F-16 multirole fighter jet already in service with the Polish air force and the FA-50, a light supersonic fighter and training jet based on the F-16, factored into Warsaw’s decision to import the FA-50.

“I based my decision on recommendations made by the Polish military pilots,” Blaszczak said. “[The FA-50] is fully inter-operational with the equipment that we use, and it is a platform that has a major modernization potential, and a potential to integrate more modern weapons systems. These aircraft can be used in combat, but they also are a perfect training platform,” he explained.

“A pilot who has been trained on FA-50 only needs a few hours to start flying the F-16 on his own,” he added.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]